Will Duval | Sports Director
The FIU baseball team is continuing their nine game homestand and hosting the Seton Hall Pirates for a four game series, beginning on Friday, March 1, 2024 in Miami, Florida.
Coming into this series, the Panthers hold a 5-3 season record after falling to the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in their previous game on Sunday, Feb. 25. Despite concluding the four game series with a 3-1 loss, they split the season series 2-2.
Vs Notre Dame:
Over the course of the series, most of the games were decided by whichever team had the most potent offense in a given matchup. Outside of the final game, the first three were won by whichever team reached double-digit runs.
In their opening match on Friday, Feb. 23, the Fighting Irish emerged victorious after building a substantial early lead. Their scoring began in the second inning, where senior outfielder T.J. Williams hit a three-run home run and gave his team a 3-0 lead.
Ignited by Williams’ emphatic home run, Notre Dame carried the momentum through the remainder of the game. After scoring three more times in the third inning, their lead had stockpiled to 6-0.
Despite senior first baseman Ryne Guida’s attempt to jumpstart the offense, FIU couldn’t climb out of the hole they had dug. In the third inning, he allowed a runner to score on his at-bat and eventually found home plate himself, which cut the lead to 6-2.
Although the Panthers doubled their score by the end of the game, their opponent nearly did the same. The Fighting Irish closed out the game by scoring five unanswered points over two innings and claimed a 13-4 win.
After getting the first game of the series stolen on their home-turf, FIU regrouped and attacked their next two matchups with new intensity.
Their next two games came in a double-header on Saturday, Feb. 24, where they were able to claim back-to-back victories. Over the course of two games, they outscored their opponent 20-13, as they scored 10 runs in each game.
To begin their second game of the series, Guida hit a single on his first at-bat and set the stage for an early score. Senior outfielder Armando Becerra immediately followed it up with a powerful hit towards right center, which resulted in a two-run home run.
Staking an early 2-0 lead, the Panthers couldn’t let their guards down, as their opponent had shown the ability to score points in bunches.
Following multiple scores, including two home runs from Guida, FIU held a lead until the top of the seventh inning. Facing a 6-4 deficit, Notre Dame remained composed and displayed their power at the plate.
Erupting offensively, the Fighting Irish scored four runs over the course of three at-bats and stole an 8-6 lead. Graduate student outfielder Tito Flores delivered an exclamatory two-run home run and broke the 6-6 tie.
Trailing until the bottom of the eighth inning, the Panthers were in desperate need of a score. Redshirt junior outfielder Kishon Frett remained composed and hit a game-tying home run on the team’s first at-bat of the inning.
With the score tied at 8-8, FIU looked to remain aggressive and close out the game as soon as they could. They went on to score two more runs in the eighth inning and claim a 10-8 advantage.
Neither team scored for the remainder of the game, as the Panthers made a defensive stance in the ninth inning. Battling through adversity after losing the lead, they claimed a 10-8 victory and tied the season series at 1-1.
Reaching the third game of the series, FIU had built momentum from their previous victory and picked up where they left off.
Showing effort and aggression on both sides of the field, they built a 5-0 lead by the end of the fifth inning. Guida hit a double that allowed two runners to reach home plate, score and push their advantage further.
Due to their large lead, they were able to withstand a 4-0 run by Notre Dame over the course of the sixth and seventh innings. However, the Panthers responded immediately and emphatically in the seventh inning.
After successful at-bats from both Becerra and Guida, Frett delivered a powerful hit towards left field, which resulted in a three-run home run. Pushing their lead to 8-4, the team had once again established a comfortable advantage.
Although the Fighting Irish would score again, there wasn’t enough time left in the game for them to chip away at the lead. FIU closed out the game with two more runs in the eighth inning and claimed a 10-5 victory.
Having claimed a 2-1 series lead, the Panthers high offensive output didn’t carry over to the final game of the series.
Playing in their fourth game over a three day span, both teams had their lowest scoring display of the series. Notre Dame put the game’s first points on the board in the fourth inning, where Flores hit a two-run home run.
Unable to respond, FIU wouldn’t score until the ninth inning, where Frett hit a home run towards center field and cut the deficit to 3-1. While his score would be enough to avoid a complete shutout, the team still lost the game.
Tying the season series at 2-2, both teams put on high-powered performances, as there was at least one home run in each game. Through the entire series, the Fighting Irish slightly outscored their opponent with a 26-25 margin.
Looking to resume their high scoring in their next matchup, the Panthers are hosting the Seton Hall Pirates for a four game series.
Vs. Seton Hall:
Entering this matchup, the Pirates hold a 5-2 season record and are coming off a 15-5 victory over Wagner on Tuesday, Feb. 27. In that game, they had a scoring eruption and claimed an 8-0 lead over the first two innings.
Redshirt senior catcher Staus Pokrovsky finished with four RBIs with three hits and runs in only five at-bats. Senior infielder Zack Sylvester also made a significant contribution, as he finished with three RBIs and two hits in three at-bats.
Providing their team with high-scoring performances, Pokrovsky and Sylvester hold the top two spots in multiple team statistics. Pokrovsky holds a .379 batting average this season, which is the highest on the team, and has driven in 10-runs, the second most on the team.
Sylvester has provided the team with the most points this season and has accumulated 12-runs. Outside of totaling the most runs on the team, he holds a .364 batting average, which is the second highest number on the team.
If FIU wishes to leave this matchup victorious, they must focus on precise pitching and fielding. As a team, they have shown the ability to score a large number of points, but tend to lose games by getting outscored.
With an offense as potent as the Panthers’, their scoring will be able to fulfill their end of the bargain on most nights. Having a sound defensive game plan will stop opponents from outscoring them.
Seton Hall has multiple players that will punish lackluster pitches, allowing them to get hot will only lead to FIU’s downfall. Defense will ultimately be the deciding factor in this series.
Looking to bounce back from their previous loss, the FIU baseball team is hosting the Seton Hall Pirates in a four game series, beginning on Friday, March 1, 2024 in Miami, Florida.
First pitch is set for 6:30 p.m. at the FIU Baseball Stadium and the game will be broadcasted on ESPN+.
Prediction:
FIU: 11
Seton Hall: 7
Follow Will Duval on X: @WillDuval40
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